Democracy's privileged few : legislative privilege and democratic norms in the British and American constitutions

Author:Joshua A. Chafetz

Summary:This book is the first to compare the freedoms and protections of members of the United States Congress with those of Britain's Parliament. Placing legislative privilege in historical context, Josh Chafetz explores how and why legislators in Britain and America have been granted special privileges in five areas: jurisdictional conflicts between the courts and the legislative houses, freedom of speech, freedom from civil arrest, contested elections, and the disciplinary powers of the houses. Legislative privilege is a crucial component of the relationship between a representative body and the other participants in government, including the people. In recounting and analysing the remarkable story of how parliamentary government emerged and evolved in Britain and how it crossed the Atlantic, Chafetz illuminates a variety of important constitutional issues, including the separation of powers, the nature of representation, and the difference between written and unwritten constitutionalism. This book will inspire in readers a much greater appreciation for the rise and triumph of democracy

Edition:View all formats and editions

Genre:Privileges and immunities

Physical Description:1 online resource (x, 307 pages)

ISBN:

9780300134896, 9786611734503, 0300134894, 6611734503

DOI:10.12987/9780300134896

OCLC Number / Unique Identifier:191733879